Maple
Acer mono

Family: Aceraceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Green, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Upright or erect.

Acer mono is a deciduous Tree growing to 15 m (49ft 3in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 15

Where it is found

Mountains all over Japan. Hillsides, mountain valleys and forests from sea level to 1800 metres in China.

E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and eastern Russia

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

The sap contains a certain amount of sugar and can either be used as a drink, or can be concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water. The syrup is used as a sweetener on many foods. The concentration of sugar is considerably lower than in the sugar maples (A. saccharum). The tree trunk is tapped in the early spring, the sap flowing better on warm sunny days following a frost. The best sap production comes from cold-winter areas with continental climates. Leaves - cooked. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails.

Sap: usually of trees and usually but not always used as a drink.

Medicine

Rating: 1

The leaves are an irritant. The bark is astringent.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Irritant: Causes irritation or abnormal sensitivity in living tissue.

Other

Rating: 2

The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them. Wood - hard, close grained. Used as a fuel.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Preservative: For food, or for treating wood, ropes etc.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Specimen. Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil and a position that is at least moderately sunny. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Chlorosis can sometimes develop as a result of iron deficiency when the plants are grown in alkaline soils, but in general maples are not fussy as to soil pH. A polymorphic species, it is closely related to A. truncatum. Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. Special Features:Not North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed of this species is rarely available. If obtained, it is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 - 4 months at 1 - 8°c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions. Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus. Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter. Grafting onto the roots of A. platanoides is usually successful, but the graft should be made as low as possible to reduce the incident of suckers from the rootstock.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 3-8

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

A. pictum.